Interlocking metal sheet-piling.



R; B. PEARSON. INTEBLOGKING METAL SHEET FILING. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1910.

. -,334 4 Patented Aug. 1, 1 911.

Quncntm:

. This pilixi .20

To all whmrfit may concern;

. BEST: AVAI B E "COPY- STATES AVAILABLE copy PATENT OFFICE.

noisna'r Barnum PEARSON, or DULUTH, umnnsora.

m'rnanocxme METAL SHEET-Prune.

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. PEARSON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Du luth, in the county'of St. Louis and State of -Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Interlockin Metal Sheet- Pillng, of which the followmg is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in interlocking inetal sheet piling as generallyused in the construction of core-walls in, dams, cofl'er-dams, retaining walls, foundation work, caissons, do'cks, wharves and other slmllar'structures, and comprises a series of interlocking metal plles having a oint combining unusual resistance to the passage of water and'other fluid material with great flexibility. and strength in the interlock. is so. formed that the joints therein wi l be substantially watertight at all times, without the use of packing, re-

gardless of the relative angle between the adjacent piles.

The particular objects of this invention are: 1st, to increase the watertight qualities 'ofthe joint; 2d, to eliminate the necessity I for packing, under all conditions, and, 3d,

to so restrict the lateral and transverse movement of the adjacent piles relative one to another as toalso eliminate the present common fault of some sheet piling of spreading at top or bottom while driving.

A further object is to provide a construo tion economical to manufacture and one that will drive and pull easily, under the conditions met in practice, in all soils.

In the accompanying drawing, Figures 1, 2, '3 and irepresent transverse sections of four different modifications of my form of sheet piling; however, it is understood that various other forms similar tothese can be made without departing from my invention, as shown-and described, which, broadly speaking," comprises the formation of a joint,

wherein the smaller head is approximately triangular in cross-section or trisected into three divergent, longitudinall extending, flanges, the ext-remitles of which approach the inner surface of the groove of the larger head, 'f the adjacent pile at such divergent .pointsand so closely as torevent any great transverse" movement in t e oint and substantiallydprevent the passageof water or.

other fiul as hereinafter shown and de- .scribed,the groove in the larger head of said ile being, ofsuch form as to allow a rota Specification of Letters I'atent. Patented Aug. 1, 1911. "Ailblication med August 16, 1910. Serial No. 577,522.

tional or angular movement .ofone pile in relation to another with a freelysliding longitudinal movement but a closely restricted groove 6 and having an opening 7 between.

the ends of said jaws. This opening 7. and groove 6, being adapted to receive and interlock with the-smaller head 3 of the. adjacent pile, form a strong and flexible joint therewith. The smaller head 3 is composed of three divergent flanges marked 8, 9 and 10 which are so formed that the extremities of these three vflanges will closely approach the interior surface of the groove 6 at such ,divergent points s to hold the head .3 concentrically withi I 6 with very little lateral. or enient, regardless I cen thetwo webs of adjr small amount of clearance between head 3 and interior of head 2 of the adjacent pile at these three points will greatly restrict the amount of water flowing through the joint, and, under the ordinary strains, of service, one or more flanges of head 3 will be in continuous con tact with the interior of the groove 6, thus entirely stopping the passage of water.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the form used in Fig. .1, in which the flanges 8 and 9 of head 3 are reduced in thickness, the contact surfaces between piles being thereby reduced, as is also the weight of the pile somewhat and the friction in driving and pulling same, which is the paramount reason for the change. In order to protect and stiffen the flange 10, it is increased in size by forming a small longitudinal bulb or enlargement on the edge thereof, which strengthens and protects v Fig. 3 is a modification of my invention scribed; In this form of joint, the changes made in head 3 increase the lateral strength of the joint, the flexibility and watertightness of the joint remaining substantiallythe same as in the previous forms.

Fig. 4 is another modification. of my'in 'vention, wherein'the interior groove 6 of the larger head 2 has approximately the form ofa sector of a circle with the apex or center towardthe web and a restricted opening 7 at the outer edge, sa-id head being adapted to receive and retain the smaller head 3 which is'also shaped somewhat similarly to a sector of a circle but, in this case, with the center or vertex extending out wardly and the are or circular'side toward anda-ttached to the web, the sector being so proportioned as to slide within groove 6 and of less included angle than said groove in order to allow for angular movement about the vertex or edge thereof. This form of interlockingmetal sheetpiling permits an unusual degree of angular flexibility about the joint and freedom of movement longitudinally therein, combined with f'great water retaining qualities which are due; to the'fact that water passing through the joint will have to pass three difl'erent points of restriction, one of which is almost always certain toclose sufliciently, under the COIldltlOIlS met in driving or the strains met in service, to prevent the passage of water through'the joint without the use of any packing material whatever. v

The basis of my invention is the provision of an approximately triangular head- 'or a head composed of three widely divergent flanges-interlocking with a larger head containing a groove of such shape as to closely restrict the transverse and lateral movement therein of said smaller triangular or trifurcated head, but allowing some angular deflection and free longitudinal sliding movementbetween adjacent piles. Contact between the extremities of the smaller head and the interior of the groove of the larger head will,.in practice, practically prevent the passage of water.

The subdivision of the smaller head into three widelydivergent flanges closely approaching the interior of -the groove, as

' hereinbefore described and shown, also so restricts the transverse or lateral movement ofeach pile in relation-to the one previously driven asto practically force the headsof' the last pile in the series to-drive into place parallel to. the head of the-{first pile driven, thus Inaking tlie space to-be filled bya closing pile practically the same width the full length of the piling. Some of the mostprominent forms of interlocking sheet piling now on the market have so much transverse or lateral movement in the interlock as to allow a following pile to deflect an inch or'more'transversely or laterally from the course, of 'the adjacent one previously drlven, an error which may beaccumulative .and usually causes considerable diflicu'lt'y in drivingfthe closing pile into place, Itis intended that this form of sheet piling be formed of steel or other suitable-materialand that the heads be rolled integrally with the web thereof, but it is understood that it may, if desired, be built up of two or more members ofsuoh form as will preserve the principal idea shown herein and attain thesameresults in a satisfactory manner.

Having illustrated and described my in vention as above, I claim thereforz,

l. A pile section for metal sheet piling having incombination a web, a pair of short flanges extending along, parallel to, and a short distance from one edge of said web, forming in connection therewith a threepronged or trifurcated head, and, on the opposite edge of said web,-tw-o larger curved flanges inclosing' a groove having a mouth of lessv width than the internal width of the groove, said groove being adapted to receive and interlock with the aforementioned t-rifurcated head of the adjoining pile with sui'licient clearance to permit longitudinal movement and angular deflection between the adjacent piles. I

2. A metal sheet pile having interlocking members along each edge, one of which contains a groove of approximately cylindrical or other suitable form, and the other mem-' ber of which consists of an approximately triangular bulb. or head-or three or more i divergent flanges extending longitudinally thereof -adapted tofslide within the aforementioned groove and of such size as to nearly close it at. the extremltles of. said flanges or said triangular head.

3.1An interlocking metal sheet pile having an enlargement or head extending longitudinally along each edge thereof, one. of which contains a groove havinga restricted mouth, said groove being adapted to receive the smaller head of the adjoining pile, said smaller head being so formed asto closely approach the interior surface of aforesaid groove at three or more points as widely divergent from each other as may be, said.in-,

tel-locking heads of adjacent piles being adapted to slide longitudinally and deflect angularly in relation one to the other. I

4. An} interlocking metal sheet pile haveeaeaa in on one edge thereof an approximately t ;angularly shaped head extending longitudinally thereof and, on the opposite edge, larger head containinga groove adapted to receive and interlock With said triangular head, said groove being so formed as .to closely inclose the extremities of said triangular head but, having sufficient clearance to permit the longitudinal movement and angular deflection of one pile in relation to the adjoining one.

A metal sheet piling composed of inter locking sections, each section comprising a Web having on one edge thereof a head comprising three short divergent flanges extending longitudinally thereof. and, on the opposite edge of said pile, a larger head containing a groove adapted toreceive said trifurcated head, said groove being so formed as to closely approach the extremities of said trifurcated head but having suflicient clear ance to permit the longitudinal movement and angular deflection of one pile in relation to the adjoining one.

6. A series of piles having interlocking and sliding relation with each other, Wherein the joint is so formed as'to have three divergent points or-extremities of the head of one pile closely approach the interior surface ofthe groove of the adjacent pile in such manner as to closely restrict the transverse and' lateral movement of one head Within the other but permlttingfree longitudinal movement and angular deflection Within the join 7 7 'n interlocking metal sheet piling wherein a section or pile comprises a web, a

air of oppositely extending curved flanges along one edge thereof, said flanges -1nclosing between them a longitudinal groove hav-.

ing a mouth of less width than the internal cientclearance to permit of longitudinal movement and angular deflection between the adjacent piles.

'8. An interlocking metal sheet piling wherein a section'or pile comprises a Web, a

Width of said groove, and, along the oppopair of oppositelyextending flanges along i one edge thereof, said flanges inclosing be tween them a longitudinal groove having a crosssection similar to a sector of a circle with the narrow point or. apex toward the Web, said groove having a mouth of less Width than the internal Width of the groove, and, along the opposite edge of said Web, a head having a cross-section similar to the sector of a circle-40f less included angle than that of the aforementioned groovewith the apex out and adapted to fit Within the aforementioned groo'v of the adjoining- $06 to permit-lonpile With sufficient cleara gitudinal movementand angular deflection between the adjacent iles.

Witness my hand this 13th day of August, 1910.

V'Vitnesses WALLACE R. LAWRIE,

JEAN A. Aims. 

